Friday, June 6, 2008

Dwight Twilley, who scored two top 20 hits within nine years of each other (1975's "I'm on Fire" and 1984's "Girls"), was born in Tulsa, OK in 1951.

Four Tops lead vocalist Levi Stubbs was born Levi Stubbles in Detroit in 1936.

History:

Howlin’ Wolf recorded “Spoonful” and “Back Door Man” - two classic blues songs, both written and produced by Willie Dixon – for Chess Records in 1960.

In 1960, Bing Crosby was presented with a platinum disc to commemorate his 200 millionth record sold. The sales figures were a combined total of 2,600 recorded singles and 125 albums. Crosby's global lifetime sales on 179 labels in 28 countries totaled 400 million records.

Also in 1960- The Silver Beatles and Gerry and the Pacemakers appeared together at the Grosvenor Ballroom in Liscard, Wallasey, England. They are billed as "jive and rock specialists."

Keyboardist Billy Preston died at age 59 in Scottsdale, AZ in 2006. He contributed to the Beatles' "White Album," "Let It Be" and "Abbey Road" records and worked with the Rolling Stones and Eric Clapton, among many others. He also had a successful solo career ("Nothing From Nothing’" and "Will It Go Round In Circles"). Preston suffered from kidney failure and other problems as a result of high blood pressure.

The "Elvis On Tour" documentary film opened in 1973.

Sax great Stan Getz dies in Malibu, Calif in 1991.

David Bowie released his album "The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders From Mars" in 1972.

1971 - "The Ed Sullivan Show" aired for the last time. It was canceled after 23 years on the air. Gladys Knight and the Pips were the musical guests on show.

John Lennon & Yoko Ono jammed with Frank Zappa at the Fillmore East in New York City in 1971, recorded for subsequent release on the Plastic Ono Band album 'Sometime in New York City'.

After an unsuccessful audition for Decca Records, The Beatles performed for producer George Martin at EMI Records in London in 1962; playing their compositions "Love Me Do" and "Ask Me Why." Martin was later quoted as saying "they were pretty awful. I understand why other record companies turned them down", but signed them to a contract the following month.

The Dixie Cups became the first American group to top the Billboard chart in 1964 when "Chapel of Love" went to number one. Up until then, the year had been dominated by The Beatles and US solo performers. The song reached #22 in the UK.

In 2003, a judge in London, England ruled that rap lyrics should be treated as a foreign language after admitting that he was unsure of the meaning of 'shizzle my nizzle' and 'mish mish man'. The court battle was over a copyright issue between the Ant'ill Mob and the Heartless Crew, who had used the lyrics on a remix.

In 1968, the Rolling Stones, while recording “Sympathy For The Devil” added the line “who killed the Kennedy’s?” This was a day after Presidential candidate Senator Robert Kennedy is murdered in L.A. (less than five years after his brother President John Kennedy was shot in Dallas).

Michael Jackson announced that he was breaking all ties with the Jehovah's Witnesses in 1987. Jackson was raised as a Jehovah's Witness and in years past would don disguises and go door to door with the Watchtower message in cities where he was performing. Thank God.

2000- Alice Cooper caused a stir when a song from his album, "Brutal Planet" contained a tune called "Wicked Young Man". The track describes an adolescent with, "a pocket full of bullets and a blueprint of the school", clearly a reference to the April 29, 1999 shootings at Columbine High School in Littleton, Colorado.

2001-Twenty of Elton John's automobiles sold at auction for $2.75 million. Elton said he, 'doesn't have time to drive them anymore'. The most expensive was a '93 Jaguar that sold for over $330,000.

A fan was electrocuted while walking walking barefoot on a wet concrete stairway and dies at a Red Hot Chili Peppers/Snoop Dogg concert at Charlottesville, Virginia in 2003.